What Music Radio Can Learn from the NFL’s Winning Playbook
Studying the NFL is like going to an Ivy League branding school— without the lifetime of debt. With the new season, here are ten reminders of what makes the league so successful — and RockTernative can steal every one of them.
1. Storylines + Drama
From the offseason to the Super Bowl, the NFL never runs out of compelling storylines: Travis Hunter going both ways. Rodgers’ final act. A Philly repeat?
The NFL is like a binge-worthy series with a fresh twist and new games every week.
Does your brand have storylines worth following? Relationship status updates only go so far. Think bigger, deeper, more episodic — but authentic and sticky.
- A host’s daughter is dating someone she hates.
- A real feud — with another show, the boss, a real-life enemy.
- Something local a DJ is hellbent on fixing.
- A humorous or serious personal issue (if the host is willing)
2. Star Power
Every NFL team has household names — stars who get mobbed at airports and steak houses. Like Grohl and Slash, but with helmets.
Who are your stars?
They don’t need security details. And whether live or voice tracked, they should feel larger than life and like a brand anchor.
Highlight your stars with as many plays as possible and assess the whole team again — there may be someone who has grown and is ready for more playing time.
3. Access + Transparency
NFL players are on social, coaches are mic’d up. Secrets are scarce, and transparency is a given. Fans see replays and know it all — including the contract details.
Now flip it.
Most media brands are like Fort Knox.
Listeners often wonder:
- Why did my favorite show disappear?
- Why won’t you answer my text?
- What’s the backstory for this DJ?
- Why do I hear RHCP every 70 minutes?
Let them in. Let them feel heard. Explaining some of the whys doesn’t hurt — it strengthens the bond and becomes a competitive advantage.
4. The Bench
In the NFL, everyone has a backup. While only the best make it to the NFL, players, coaches, and owners know someone younger, faster, hungrier is coming for their job. Scouts start watching players in high school.
If Mahomes goes down, Reid and the Chiefs have a Plan B.
Do you have a bench? If your top talent gets carted off, are you ready?
5. Emotional Attachment
As ABC used to say: the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat. The NFL moves people with emotion. Everyone has a favorite team — even Sydney Sweeney (Steelers). Fans care deeply. They stick with their team, season after season — and they spend real money to prove it.
That’s passion. Ask yourself, would a listener:
- Pay for your station T-shirt?
- Put a sticker on their car?
- Buy tickets to your private event just to be in the room?
- Be thinking, “I can’t wait to hear what the show says about this on Monday”?
If not, what’s the game plan to get there?
The NFL gives back in ways that make headlines and move hearts. Players wear pink for cancer awareness. Coaches read to school kids and patients. Teams rebuild cities after disasters. The NFL shows up.
Radio shows up and “gives back,” but often it’s by running emotional telethons — or asking listeners, year after year, to pony up for someone else.
Those can be worthwhile causes. A station doesn’t need to build a new stadium every year, but smaller efforts can add up and make a big difference, too.
Sometimes it’s as simple as:
- Helping a dog find a home.
- Paying off someone’s heating bill.
- Recognizing a local hero.
- Buying lunch for hungry families.
- Going to the hospital on a random Tuesday and playing music for kids.
Making a difference without making it about “us” is how communities remember you.
7. The Fan Experience
NFL games are engineered for max impact. Pre-game. Post-game. Parking lot. Jumbotron. For the money fans spend, the league knows it needs to deliver — every Sunday.
They know their image is always on the line.
- Would the Broncos roll into the parking lot in a dented van with faded magnets?
- Would the Ravens hoist a tent with an old logo?
- Would the NFL let the PA announcer sound like he’s coming through a boombox?
Your on-site presence doesn’t need to be flashy — but a bad look can hit just as hard as a bad song. Every touchpoint matters. Every touchpoint could be a listener’s first with your brand.
8. Investment & Evolution
The NFL evolves constantly. Rules change — seemingly every season. The league stays current by doing research and listening to its players, owners and fans. Bold moves are made.
Many Radio turf-holders become complacent and cling to “set it and forget it,” yet everything around us is changing. That’s how brands fall behind and are trailing by two touchdowns at halftime.
It may have taken Nielsen 101 years to evolve and change the QH crediting threshold, but Radio faces new competition daily and can’t afford to wait to evolve. Ask yourself:
- When was the last time the library and rotation strategies were reviewed or freshened?
- Have the dayparts been analyzed lately — still the right size and shape?
- What about benchmarks — still relevant or just habits?
- Stop set strategies and placement — up-to-date?
If the NFL sat around and waited to evolve, they’d still be wearing leather helmets.
Don’t wait to catch up — evolve so you’re always in the lead.
9. It’s All About Performance
- Miss a tackle? The player is benched.
- Lose games? The coach is fired.
- Miss revenue goals? The business office better run for cover.
How about at your brand?
- Are underperformers still employed and clocking in each morning?
- Are there tracking systems for what’s really moving the needle?
- Are rewards given for impact–– or tenure?
- Are the best players being drafted and hired?
The best players in the NFL deliver championships. In Radio, championships are often determined by Nielsen, but those results can change on a dime. What other trackers are you using to gauge performance?
10. Fun!
In the end, football is supposed to be fun. The NFL never forgets that. Big hits. Touchdown dances. Halftime shows. Sideline chaos. It’s an emotional thrill ride.
Is your brand fun? Like, actually fun? Is “fun” leaping out of the speakers or screens?
Fun isn’t a format. It’s a feeling.
Post-Game Recap:
The NFL’s playbook works. Sold-out Sundays and Vegas don’t lie.
The league dominates because it earns attention and shows up BIG every week. They reinvest, reinvent, and stay laser focused on what fans crave.
Here’s the good news: none of this is exclusive to football.
Put your helmet on.
Are you ready for some Football Radio?
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Keith Cunningham is a Rock/Alternative columnist for Barrett Media, and the Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles for over 10 years. He’s been voted one of America’s Top 5 Program Directors in two formats by Barrett Media and one of America’s Best PDs by Radio Ink. Keith has built his career by taking multi-million-dollar brands from worst to first, and leading Marconi & Gracie award winners. A self-described audience data and research nerd and advisory council member for St. Jude fundraising, Keith is a fantasy football champion and lover of his daughters & dogs. Reach him here at LinkedIn and X. For non-KLOS questions or comments, reach him at [email protected].
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